FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please advise us in advance if you have any specific dietary needs or restrictions and we will try our best to accommodate any requests such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc. Our chef receives high praise for his cooking.

For river and water based activities you should bring a pair of water shoes, or sports sandals (Teva, Reef, Keen etc) with an ankle strap, or a pair of trainers/sneakers. We do not take anyone out on the river without adequate footwear. Flips flops/slippers are not adequate footwear on any of our activities, but are great for relaxing at camp. A flashlight or head torch Insect repellent For the river we suggest wearing quick dry shorts and t-shirts – since we are located in a village please do not wear overly revealing clothes on activities Sunblock Waterproof camera – even waterproof cameras can get damaged, so we recommend you purchase one of our dry bags or pouches for extra protection For those who wear glasses a glasses strap is a good idea Hat with a visor for sun protection Several plastic bags to keep wet clothes separate in luggage.

We do not have en suite bathroom facilities, but our bathroom block is separated into male and female facilities. We do have hot water showers but we ask that showering is kept to a minimum time in order to conserve energy and be kind to the environment. Our bathrooms are clean and are modern and western. The water is safe for brushing teeth but do not drink the water, it is not treated. A refreshing alternative to a shower is a river bath – please inform a member of staff if you wish to bathe in the river, and where possible it is better to bring biodegradable products. We do not provide any toiletries for guests, however we do provide towels which you can use for river bathing.

All our tents have twin beds and have electricity inside and outside the tents. Each tent has a thatched roof and a terrace from where you can sit and relax and enjoy the river and the surrounding mountains. There is no need to bring towels as you will be provided with one during your stay. The tents have power points to charge electrical items such as laptops, phones and cameras. Please ensure that you keep the inside fly sheet of your tent closed at all times, as this will help prevent any unwanted wildlife visiting. For your comfort we ask that you keep shoes outside of the tents so that the tents are kept as clean as possible. There is no smoking inside the tents but you can smoke on your terrace if you wish.

Our company insures all our trekking staff.

A tourist visa is required to visit Nepal. A Single Entry 60-day visa costs US$ 30.00 and an application form will be sent upon request by the Nepalese Embassy or Consulate based in your country. While they are also available at the airport immigration upon arrival, we advise that you obtain your Nepalese visa before leaving your home country as it usually means long delays. Please see Visa Information for more information.

We will do everything to provide adequate safety for the group and security for your possessions. The general rule is that if you don’t need it, don’t bring it. This includes jewellery, necklaces, rings and even watches. Your passport and money can be left in a safe in the hotel in Kathmandu or at Wild Heights office and collected on your departure.

If you anticipate an insurance claim upon your return, be sure to document as accurately as possible any accident, injury or loss. Doctors’ notes or police reports will be required to support any claims.

We advise protection against Typhoid, Polio, Tetanus, Meningitis and Hepatitis. . It is recommended that you seek medical advice at least six weeks before travel; some of the vaccinations require more than one injection and some of them should not be given together. See our Trip Notes for details

Modern, Western medical services are available in Kathmandu. Kathmandu based CIWEC Clinic Travel Medicine Centre’s website is excellent for medical advice on travel in Nepal and other neighboring countries. E-mail advice is possible.   www.ciwec-clinic.com

It is imperative that you drink at least three to four litres of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration and to combat the effects of altitude sickness. Our emphasis on the gradual acclimatisation process in all our itineraries will help to prepare you for the altitudes. As long as you follow the trek leader’s instructions and a few guidelines (see our Trip Notes for details) faithfully, and use a bit of common sense, you are unlikely to have any problems apart from the normal breathlessness. 

There are numerous trekking shops in Kathmandu, Thamel in particular, where you can easily rent or purchase items like sleeping bag, down jacket, rucksack, rain jacket, water bottle, duffel bag, etc. 

A full kit list will be provided upon booking. Please make sure you bring all the essential items. Bring as little as possible but bring everything you need. You have to make your own decision. Travelling light is much less of a hassle so do not bring things you can do without. Bring clothes that wash and dry easily.

Your gear in the duffel bag is not available to you during the day. You carry only the daypack that contains all that you need during the day. Each evening your trek leader will inform you of any special requirements for the following day. Generally you will need any warm clothing recommended, water bottle, camera gear and personal items such as sun screen, lip salve, etc. Unless you are carrying excessive amounts of camera equipment, your load will only be a few kilograms and is almost unnoticeable if you have a comfortable daypack.

We are keeping to a small group so that we limit the impact we have on the surrounding environment. We will ensure that all biodegradable rubbish is buried and that all other rubbish is carried out of the area and disposed of responsibly. We follow and respect the local guidelines on cultural and environmental protection.

Drinking water is supplied in the  morning and evening. Although well-boiled water and bottled water are easily available on trek, with the advancement in cutting edge water filtering technology, using less fuel has been the recent mantra for us. We now use Steripen to treat water for drinking purposes

You should bring a one-litre water bottle with you or you may want to increase your water bottle capacity or number if you drink a lot. However, you may purify water yourself using iodine or chlorine solution in order to save scarce fuel.

Flight delays and cancellations occasionally occur because of shortage of aircraft and flights or snow or other inclement weather, forcing the shutdown of the airstrip.

This is especially true for remote mountain airstrips such as Lukla, Jomson, Jumla, Taplejung, Juphal, Phaplu, etc. If we are flying from one of these airstrips, we should keep at least two spare days before your departure for home.

We do not provide accommodation for drivers. However, we can provide suggestions for guesthouses for them to stay in. Local accommodation costs around Rs. 1500 per night and includes room and board at a clean and comfortable guest house. You may park your car at our car park. It is off road and away from traffic.

We do not include service charge in our rates as we believe in leaving tipping to the discretion of our guests. However we do hope that if you have enjoyed your stay and feel our staff have looked after you well that you leave a tip. There is a tip box in the Long House, and tips are divided equally between all the staff, so everyone, from the guides to the kitchen staff, receive an equal share. Our staff earn a significant portion of their pay through tipping, so it is greatly appreciated. As a guideline we recommend leaving 10% of the cost of your stay.

We don’t have credit card facilities at Borderlands And there is no ATM machine near by, so please do bring enough cash with you.

Anything you don’t want to take on trek can be safely left at the hotel.

The normal weight limit is 10 kilograms plus a small carry-on bag.

It is not necessary to take Malaria prevention medicine unless you will be visiting a jungle lodge in the Terai.

Altitude sickness or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a common and potentially fatal disease caused by the failure to acclimatise to the low levels of oxygen at high altitude. It can strike from about 3,000m upwards and in general is more likely to affect those who ascend rapidly and those who over-exert themselves. You may experience one or more of the following minor symptoms and discomfort of altitude sickness until your body adjusts to the elevation, which can take from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on an individual.

• Headache
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Mild shortness of breath with minimal exertion
• Sleep disturbance (difficulty sleeping)
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Mild weakness slight swelling of hands and face

We employ a number of qualified and experienced native leaders and guides, all of whom speak English. They will be ultimately responsible for the running of the itinerary and the safety of your group.

Good quality sleeping bag is provided on all treks. You may also use quilts/blankets provided by the teahouses. Sleeping mat is provided on all camping treks.

You will not need large amounts of money as all our trips are mostly all-inclusive barring main meals in base cities. As our time is spent mostly in the mountains, you will need money for tipping, additional food and drink, gifts and souvenirs, and for any other additional activities that you wish to do. See our Trip Notes for detail.

As no formal clothes are needed, luggage should be kept to the absolute minimum – details on what to pack are provided in the kit list (see the Trip Note prepared for specific trips). On trek, your duffel bag/ kit bag (suitcases are not appropriate) must not exceed 15kgs in weight. Each day when you begin to trek, your personal gear will be transported to the next stop by porters or pack animals. Duffel bag will be issued to you in Kathmandu before the start of the trek.

There are telephones and mobile phone networks in a few villages along the popular trekking routes from which you can make international calls.

There will be common toilets in the lodges, and they all offer ‘how shower’. Please note that due to the wilderness environment, the facilities can be spartan.

Yes. Our holidays are specialist adventure undertakings (high-altitude mountain trekking) and as such we strongly recommend that you take out a comprehensive Personal Travel Insurance Policy which will cover all the aspects of your adventure that includes trip cancellation/interruption, loss of baggage, airline delays, sickness, accident, theft and in serious cases helicopter evacuation.